Herta Polatschek
| Born: |
04-10-1908 |
| Faculty: |
Philosophical School |
| Category: |
Expelled student |
Herta POLATSCHEK, born on April 10
th, 1908 in Vienna/Austria (entitled residency ("heimatberechtigt") for Vienna/Austria, Citizenship: Austria), daughter of Samuel Polatschek (old-age pensioner, deceased) and Therese Polatschek, née Berg (1873-1943), lived in Vienna's 9
th district, Hahngasse 28, was enrolled finally in the fall term 1937/38 at the Philosophical School in the 4
th and last year of her studies and took courses in Ancient History and German language and literature Studies.
She had registered for the final examinations ("Rigorosen") on January 12
th, 1938, and successfully passed the first Rigorosum on February 19
th, 1938. After the "Anschluss" she was issued the" Absolutorium" on July 2
nd, 1938, but she was no more allowed to sit for the final examination and was forced to quit her studies and leave the University of Vienna for racist reasons.
Herta Polatschek had to flee Vienna and was able to emigrate to England/UK in time, where she lived in Durford Hatch, Rogate, Sussex in 1939 and worked as a nanny, in Guildford, Sussex, England/UK in the mid 1940s and worked as a translator.
Her mother Therese Polatschek (1873-1942) and her older sister Marianne Polatschek (1906-1942) were unable to emigrate in time and were deported from Vienna to the ghetto in Opole, Poland on February 15
th, 1941 and murdered.
Herta Polatschek, stateless since 1939, emigrated to the USA after the end of the war. She flew to New York on November 16
th, 1947 - her first port of call was her relative Elisabeth Polatschek at 30 W. 83
th str. in Manhattan - and continued to live and work in New York, NY.
Herta Polatschek died in July 1973 in New York, NY/USA.
Lit.: Archive of the University of Vienna/enrollment forms ("Nationale") PHIL 1937–1938, final examination file and protocoll ("Rigorosenprotokoll und -akt") PHIL 14104; POSCH/INGRISCH/DRESSEL 2008, 450, www.ancestry.de, DOeW|Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance, database Austrian Victims of the Holocaust.
Herbert Posch
